Parachute harness



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PARACHUTE HARNESS Original Filed Oct. 23, 1945 Q 3 Sheets-Sheet l ELE- l INVENTOR.

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34 La, aaffll A'f'TORNEYS.

June 12, 1951 1.. L. lRVlN PARACHUTE HARNESS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed Oct. 23, 1945 INVENTOR. Leslie L. I

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ATTORNEYS.

J1me 195l L.L. lRVlN PARACHUTE HARNESS Original Filed Oct. 23, 1945 s Sheets-Sheet 3 ya o INVENTQR.

LesJze L. J'vin ATTORNEYS.

Patented June 12, 1951 PARA-CHUTE HARNESS Leslie L. Irvin, Buffalo, N. Y., assignor to Irving Air Chute Company, Inc., Buffalo, N. Y., a corporation Original application October 23, 1945, Serial No.

623,916. Divided and this application October 7, 1949, Serial No. 120,025

2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in parachute harnesses.

harness as used upon the type of pack shown in U. S. Patent No. 2,542,925.

Figure 2 is a front view of the pack container showing in dotted lines associated harness construction.

Figure 3 is a rear view of the closure side of the pack.

Figure 4 is a cross sectional view taken thru the harness shoulder portion showing an adapter adjustment for the harness.

Figure 5 is a cross sectional view taken substantially on the line 5-5 shown in Figure 1.

Figure 6 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken thru a portion of the pack and harness substantially on the line 6-6 of Figure 1.

In the drawings, wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts thruout the several views, the letter A may generally designate parachute equipment consisting of a pack B and a single point release coupling harness C.

The pack B includes the container D, which so far as the pack features are concerned, contains essential details of novelty in that the pack is relatively thin and extremely flexible both longitudinally and laterally, as has been set forth in U. S. Patent No. 2,542,925 of which this application is a division.

The container D includes a base or foundation wall 20 consisting of inner and outer plies of flexible fabric 2| and 22, between which is located compact mat-like padding '23 held in position therein by horizontal, vertical and diagonal stitching. In lieu of this foundation wall, so far as the harness is concerned, such could constitute,

"instead of part of the pack, a, pad or other supcorners thereof rounded and held in shape by 2 means of reinforcing cordage 39. The cordage may be of any suitable textile material, or rawhide, or even plastic. It is extremely flexible yet sufficiently stiff to retain and reinforce the outline of the Wall, and indeed the shape of the pack with which it may be associated.

The pack container D may include side flaps 50 and 5| and top and bottom or end flaps 52 and 53. The flaps may consist of an integral part of the base wall. The flaps 52 and 53 are provided with the usual grommets to receive the cones or studs 63 for receiving the stud pins of a rip cord 8I. The rip cord may be protected by means of a safety flap 99 secured upon a flap of the container, which is controlled by means of a slide fastener 92 having a detachable connection at its lower end 91 and a protecting tab 94 therefor at the handle end.

Referring to the improved harness C, the same has been provided with the thought of safety in mind, and the ability of the wearer to quickly release himself from the harness. In the main it is of the single point coupling release type and includes a main sling portion Illi having a seat strap III within which the wearer sits as in a swing during descent and from which side riser webs H2 and I! 3 extend along the sides of the wearer and thence to the back where they protion as shown in Figure 1.

vide back straps IM and H5 crossing at 6 They extend upwardly to form suspension lines Il6 shown best in Figure 4 of the drawings. I also provide a complementary seat web or strap I29 which lies in the same plane and may be an integral part of the strap portion IH above described. At the ends of the seat portion I29 I provide U-shaped loops I22 and I23 just above the seat or sling of the harness; the loops being connected at I24 to the riser web portions H2 and continuing therefrom in a back strap I26 having an adjusting adapter I21; it of course being understood that the back strap consists of two straps approaching the adapter at which place the back strap may be adjusted as to length. The loop portions I22 and I23 may be rendered rather stiff by doubling the material of the webbing upon itself and stitching it in such condi- This back strap overlies the lower bar reinforcement 40 in the container and fits across the small of the back of the wearer. It is retained in position upon the container by releasing tabs I30. The riser webs H2 and I I3 extend along the sides and intermediate the ends of the base wall of the container and the same are held in properly spaced relation by a strap I35-stitched at I 36thereto; the

ends of the strap I 35 being detachably connected against the pack by fasteners I31 upon suitable tabs I38 located upon the outer surface of the base wall of the container, as shown in Figure 1. Also at their crossing point the straps I I 4 and H are provided with a connecting cross strap I40 having snap fastener connections MI with suitable tabs I42 provided upon the back wall of the container, as shown in Figures 1 and- 2 of the drawings.

Suspension tabs or straps I50 and I5I are provided for complementary association with the back straps II 4 and H5 respectively; the same being connected thru three bar adapters I68. The suspension webbing H6 is extended thru the passageway ISI between two of the bars and the suspension webbing i'fifi or Ifii, as the case may be, is extended thru the other opening I52 of the three bar adapter. In order to hold the position of the adapter, which lies over the shoulder of the wearer, and to accomplish snug fitting or accurate fitting of the harness upon the wearer, I provide a strap Ilil secured at I'll as to the front suspension strap and therebehind; the same is threaded slidably over the intermediate bar I72 of the adapter and thence extended slidably or adjustably thru an adapter connection I13 upon the inside of the complementary suspension web IIS, which in reality at that point is a back strap, as shown in Figure 4. The strap I of course will hold the adapter I66 in proper position so that the suspension webs at the shoulders of the wearer will be retained in proper connection for fitting the harness efliciently to the stature of the wearer.

As shown in Figure l of the drawings I provide a fixed point quick release coupling G which is well known, as to essential characteristics, in the prior art. I believe this to be the first time that a six point coupling has been used and in the main the same enables the operator to instantly free all the fasteners from the coupling and the ends of the harness will drop loose from the wearer. The coupling G receives detachable fasteners I80 and IBI at the ends of the front suspension straps I58 and I5I of the harness and it furthermore receives fasteners I82 and I83 adjustable at the ends of leg straps I 84' and I85 respectively; the latter being secured at I86 upon the seat straps III and I29 and being adapted to extend therefrom thru the loops I23 and I22 respectively of the harness. These leg straps are provided with suitable adapters I85 to adjust their length.

I prefer to provide side means for adjusting the harness in enclosing relation upon the wearer. It consists of a cross belt arrangement adapted to lie across the middle of the back of the wearer including side straps I90 and HM threaded thru three bar adapters I92 and I93 respectively; these buckles or adapters are secured by tabs I95 attached upon the container by being stitched in the structure thereof at the extreme side margins of the container, as will be hereinafter described. The straps or webs I SO and IBI are threaded thru these adapters in the usual manner so that they can be adjusted but will not too easily slide, and the free ends are then overlapped and held in position upon the pack by the tabs I38 above described, and as shown in Figure 12. The straps I90 and I9I are looped therefrom downwardly and at their free ends are secured at points 200 in the fabric structure of the container. Thus, the straps I90 and I9I provide the loops shown in Figure l,

upon which are threaded fasteners 292 and 203. The latter is permanently connected to the coupling member G but the fastener 202 is releasable therefrom. The coupling may be operated to release the fasteners I39 and I83 inclusive and the fastener 22.2 and the wearer may drop all of the harness parts from his body and release himself from the entire parachute equipment.

Since the ends of the harness loops holding the fastener portions 262 and 2ll3 are connected directly to the foundation walls of the pack, these points of connection may be reinforced by providing a reinforcing piece 2H along the inner side of the. container flaps, as shown in Figure 6 of the drawings, to which the tabs I94 may be stitched. The other ends of the loops forming straps I30 and I9I are connected as shown at 299 in Figure 6 of the drawings; the straps lflfi and I9I being continued around and connected to reinforcing straps 2|. as shown in Figure 6. This arrangement of connecting the harness to the extreme sides of the wall upon which the harness is detachably connected, or to the foundation wall of the pack, whichever is preferred, insures that the wall will be held tight or close to the Wearers body at all times and form fitting therewith.

I prefer to provide coupling parts I24 upon the side risers of the harness adjacent to the seat for connection of safety straps, a life raft or a seat pack.

From the foregoing description of this invention it is apparent that an improved pack and harness has been provided which will enable a wearer to sit with ease within the aeroplane without relinquishing any safety factors essential to successful operation of the device should an emergency arise.

Various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be made to the form of invention herein shown and described, without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A parachute harness comprising a U-shaped supporting sling including a seat and riser webs extending at the sides of the seat, thence in back crossing relation and terminating in suspension lines, flexible loops connected upon the riser webs immediately above the seat and having back straps extending thereacross connecting said loops and the riser webs, a single point release coupling, leg straps connected with said seat for threading thru said loops and having fastener means for connection to said coupling, upper body attaching straps including suspension lines and front straps provided with fastener means for releasable connection with said coupling, adjustable adapter connection means connecting said upper body straps with the back crossing straps and located adjacent the connection of the suspension lines of the back crossing straps, and V-shaped side body attaching straps including fastener means for connection with the re.- lease coupling and means connecting said V- shaped side body attaching straps together in eluding a back strap connection therebetween;

2. In a parachute harness the combination of a substantially U-shaped sling including a seat portion and riser Webs extending in back crossing relation and terminating in suspension lines, front straps having adapter connection with the said suspension lines at the normal shoulder of the wearer, said front straps extending in convergent relation downwardly at the front and 6 having fasteners at the ends thereof, side loops connected with said sling immediately above the REFERENCES CITED Seat portion leg Straps for releasable threading The following references are of record in the thru said loops, said leg straps at the ends me of th thereof having fasteners, V-shaped side straps 5 is pa t having slidable fasteners at the apices thereof, UNITED STATES PATENTS similar complementary ends of the side straps Number Name Date having means definitely connecting them to- 2,016,235 Irvin Oct. 1, 1935 gether, a length adjustable back strap connect- 2,430,773 Kowalski Nov. 11, 1947 ing the other complementary ends of the V- 1 shaped side straps together, and a single release FOREIGN PATENTS coupling device for connecting together the fas- Number Country Date teners aforementioned, 387,388 Great Britain Feb. 6, 1933 LESLIE L. IRVIN. 1, 97 France July 23, 1934 

